Immaculate
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Joan is given her most important assignment of all. She's going to be a very special mother to a very special baby. She also finds love. How will her family react to the news. Joan/Cuteboy friendship Joan/Cuteboy pairing non sexual
1. Special Assignment

Disclaimer: I don't own Joan of Arcadia and I'll say it again but what's the point...lol

* * *

For the 3rd time today, and probably the 10th time this week Joan threw up. _I must have the stomach flu, _she thought to herself.

"Honey," her mother asked, "are you sure you're up to going to school today?"

"Yeah mom, I'll be fine," she said.

"Okay but if you're still feeling sick I want you to go to the nurse and go straight home"

Joan promised and grabbed a bagel for breakfast.

"I thought you don't like bagels," her father said

"Normally I don't but I've really liked them lately. I guess my taste must be changing"

"If you don't watch it your tastes aren't the only thing that will change," Luke teased.

"Okay that's enough," Will said with a smile, "stop teasing your sister"

"Sorry," Luke said

"Thank you," Joan replied, "apology accepted"

"I have to go honey," Will told his wife, "I'll see you tonight"

"Sure," she said kissing him, "see you tonight"

"Um… Helen are you still angry about the other day," Will asked insecurely.

"It would hard for me to **still **be angry because I wasn't angry in the first place"

"Really?"

"I promise," Helen replied, "I wouldn't get angry about something like that"

"That's a relief"

"I love you," she said

"Love you too," he said

Joan finished her breakfast then started to walk to school. She threw up on the way.

_"GOD this flu sucks," she moaned._

"Hey Joan over here"

She looked by the tree where the voice was coming from.

"I might have known," she mumbled seeing Cute Boy and walked over to Him.

"How are you feeling," He asked her.

"Like you don't know," she challenged

"Joan," He told her, "I have an assignment for you"

"There's a shock," she said, "can it wait until my stomach flu is gone"

"You don't have the stomach flu"

"What do you mean," she asked, "I've been throwing up all week and I've been eating weird and- oh you have got to be kidding," she ended off realizing what He was saying.

"I have a great sense of humor," He said, "but I wouldn't kid about this"

"But I can't be," she replied, "I haven't even- oh you've GOT to be kidding"

"No I'm not kidding about that either," He said, "look I know this is a bit of a shock to you-"

"A bit," Joan challenged, "this is level 10,000!"

"You probably have questions," he added

"Oh," Joan replied, "YA THINK!"


	2. Questions and no answers

Cute boy took Joan to a little café just three blocks away from her school.

"I understand this is probably confusing for you," he told her.

"Oh ya think," Joan repeated, "is the baby going to be a boy or a girl"

"Yes," Cute boy told her

"Not funny," Joan said but she smiled a little bit.

"You'll know soon enough," Cute boy promised her.

"Okay then I guess my second question is how will my family react"

"They'll be surprised," Cute Boy told her, "but they'll also be supportive"

"Will they… will they believe me," Joan asked

"Of course they will," Cute Boy told Joan

"How am I supposed to know how to be a good mother?"

"Will it be easy? No it won't be easy. Will you be a great mother? You will absolutely be a great mother"

"How do you know," Joan asked.

Whenever Joan asked that to Cute Boy He normally gave her a look but this time He just put His hand in hers.

"I know," He said, "because I know the type of soul you have. You only found out this child is going to be born 10 minutes ago and you already love this child"

"Yes," Joan admitted, "I hate to say it but yes"

"Why do you hate to say it," Cute Boy gently asked.

"Because," Joan answered.

Cute Boy patiently waited for her to continue.

"You know the answer," she said

"I'm waiting for you to say it"

Joan was quiet for a moment then drawing in a breath she asked what she didn't want to know but **had **to know.

"My baby," she asked, "does He or She have a destiny?"

"Of course," Cute Boy said causing Joan to cry. He looked at her confused.

"Joan for My sake what's wrong?"

"Wonder Boy," Joan said softly, "He had a destiny"

"Joan," Cute Boy said gently, "every destiny is different."

"So… so my baby… my baby isn't going to be… to be… to be-"

She couldn't even get the words out. Cute Boy knew what she was thinking.

"No Joan," Cute Boy reassured her, "Wonder Boy's destiny isn't the same as your child's destiny. This doesn't mean that He or She won't go through tough times. It does mean that He or She is an individual"

"I noticed you didn't directly answer my question," Joan chided but mildly.

"I never do," Cute Boy reminded her.


	3. You Never Lied To Me

That night Joan was incredibly on edge. She threw up seven times. She had a really bad headache and was cramping up. She was eating all kinds of strange foods. Helen followed her upstairs and knocked on her door.

"Come in," Joan said softly

"Joan," Helen said gently sitting down on her bed, "I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to know that whatever the answer is I **love **you. That has never and will never change. Do you understand me?"

"GOD this reminds me of what dad used to say to Kevin before he got mad at him," Joan joked eliciting a small smile from her mother.

"Joan, are you pregnant?"

Joan swallowed hard. She knew that she had to tell the truth—and she knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"Yes," she said, "but there are special circumstances surrounding the pregnancy"

Patiently Helen waited for her daughter to continue.

After awhile when Joan didn't say anything Helen asked her, "Who's the father"

"You wouldn't believe me," Joan said

"Oh yes I would," Helen promised, "I would believe you because you have never lied to me. You have been honest even when it nearly got you in trouble"

"That's because you and dad aren't just my parents… but also my best friends too"

Helen put an arm around her daughter.

"Who's the father," she asked again.

"The baby doesn't have a biological father," Joan explained, "Remember how I told you about how I've been… communicating with and seeing GOD-"

Helen gasped.

"Joan," she said, "are you saying your child is GOD'S child?"

"Yes mom and I'm scared. I'm afraid I'm going to SUCK as a mother"

"You're not alone in this Joan," Helen said softly, "you have your father and I and Kevin and Luke-"

"Dad's going to think I belong back at Gentle Acres," Joan said breaking down crying.

"No I'm not," Will said coming in.

Joan looked up as her father came into the room.

"Listen Joan," he said kneeling down to her level and pulling her into a hug, "I don't pretend to understand what's going on but if you say this child is of the One who made you and me and everyone and everything else… as much as I want to doubt it I do believe it. You **have **never lied about anything in your life and you probably WILL never lie about anything in your life. I love you baby… and… baby," he concluded putting a hand on Joan's stomach.

"I love you too dad," Joan said crying partly because of her hormones and partly because she was very emotional.

"Do you have an OBGYN appointment yet," Helen asked

"Not yet. I was going to call tomorrow and make it," the 16 year old girl explained.

"I'll call for you," Will said, "I want you seen by the best"

It was not a long time later that Joan fell asleep.

A/N: Several things to understand here

This is AU (obviously) so Joan is only sixteen, not seventeen

This story has a purpose and there may be things right now that seem iffy and confusing but **I promise **that it will make sense

If you have any criticism for this story that's fine. I appreciate constructive criticism but please do not flame it. Or if you do flame it have the decency to flame it anonymously so I can erase the flame…lol

I am writing this story at the request of one of my friends and the request of one of my writing fans ((who I think of as a friend because I really do appreciate her reviews))

I need some names… unique names for both a girl and a boy as I am not sure yet which Joan is going to have and even if she has one I may use the other as a character. I will give you credit for the name.

If you have any requests send it to me and I will try to fit it in


	4. Grace's Gift

I do own Jack. Elise Polk is Grace's mother (I didn't know her first name so I just picked one). In this particular story Grace's father had passed away (you'll learn that in a few chapters from now)

* * *

Grace was on the phone talking to Joan.

"GOD Jack is such an idiot," Grace told Joan.

Grace was not one to pull punches. She always told it like it was. She didn't care what anyone else thought.

"I like him," Joan said in between stuffing her face.

"You like Jack? How can you like him?"

"He's… he's funny and he cares—okay granted he can be a little aggressive at times but only when he doesn't know what else to do"

"Oh I have some ideas of what he can do," Grace said, "and are you eating?"

Joan swallowed her food and then spoke on.

"So you should tell him your ideas. It might help him"

"I think I will," Grace said, "and are you eating?"

"Yes," Joan said, "I was eating a bagel"

Grace raised an eyebrow.

"You don't even like bagels"

"Well I do now," Joan said, "Grace, can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure"

"I'm pregnant," Joan finally said

Grace nearly chocked on her water.

"Who's the father?"

"Well that's complicated," Joan explained

"Complicated how Giradi," Grace asked.

"Well," Joan began, "you see-"

"Grace?"

"I have to go now," Grace said, "My mom's home. I'll call you later"

Elise Polk came into her daughter's room.

"Hi honey," she said

"Hey mom"

"Listen… your birthday's coming up and I was wondering what you wanted. You're going to be sixteen so maybe a car?"

Grace shook her head.

"All I want," she said, "is for you to stop drinking"

Elise nodded, kissed her daughter's forehead and got on the phone. Twenty minutes later it was all arranged. Elise would be going to a 30 day inpatient rehab program. Grace would stay at the Giradi's while she was gone.

"I love you mom," Grace said


	5. Joan's Fear

Joan was lying on her bed. She couldn't stop thinking about the baby. Everyone got scared when they found out they were going to be parents. This wasn't a normal pregnancy though. She was carrying GODS child.

The phone rang and Joan picked it up. It was Grace. She was way excited. Her mother was going to rehab to get clean. Joan couldn't bring herself to concentrate on what Grace was saying.

She could only think of one thought. What was going to happen to her baby? She knew what happened to her baby's Brother. That thought horrified her. The phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Joan?"

It was little girl GOD.

"Yes it's me," Joan said

"Stop worrying," Little Girl GOD commanded

Joan laughed

"Stop- stop worrying? I'm p r e g n a n t with Your child and I should stop worrying? I LOVE this baby."

"So do I so what's the problem?"

Joan couldn't believe that GOD, even Little Girl GOD would ask that question.

"The problem is that I KNOW the end of the story"

"No Joan," Little Girl GOD said, "you know the end of **history. **This is not **history**. This is the future"

Joan paused reflecting on that.

"So does my child… our child have a destiny"

"Every child does Joan"

"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO ESSITERICAL! CAN'T YOU EVER ANSWER A DIRRECT QUESTION?"

"You sound angry"

Joan took a breath and checked herself.

"I'm not angry," she said, "I just need answers"

"You will get them," Little Girl GOD promised, "in the meantime you need to remember that **this child **has a destiny but it's not the same destiny as His or Her brother's destiny"

"You can't even tell me if it's a Him or a Her," Joan sighed

"Oh it's definitely a Him or a Her," Little Girl GOD said and hung up.


	6. Guessing Game

At dinner Joan was unusually quiet.

"Hey I have an idea," Grace said, "Let's play a game"

"Like what," Helen asked.

"Get six index cards," Grace instructed, "and 12 pens 6 in pink and 6 in blue"

They did what she asked.

"Each of us writes our name on top," Grace began

Everyone did that.

"Now we write down our guess about what the baby is going to be, his or her birthday how much he or she will weigh, what hair color he or she will have and what eye color he or she will have. We go through it together at the end"

Everyone wrote it down and Luke went first.

**Luke Girardi **

Sex of the baby: Girl ((based on scientific practicality))

Birthday: September 16th

Weight: 4 pound 12 ounces

Hair color/Eye color: Brown/Blue

"Okay," Kevin said, "My turn"

**Karen Girardi**

Sex: Boy

Birthday: October 1st

Weight: 8 pounds 14 ounces

Hair color: Red

Eye color: Brown

"GOD I hope not," Joan said, "Eight pounds, fourteen ounces… that sounds pretty painful to push out"

**Joan Girardi**

Gender: Girl

Birthday: September 24th

Weight/hair color/eye color: 5 pounds/Blonde/Green

"Okay," Helen said, "it's my turn now"

**Helen Girardi**

Gender: Girl

Birthday: September 11th

Weight: 4 pounds 3 ounces

Hair: Black

Eyes: Amber or Gold

**Will Girardi**

Gender: F

Birthday: October 10th

Weight: 5'11

Hair: Golden

Eyes: Blue

**Grace Polk**

Sex: Girl power baby

Birthday: September 30th

Weight: 4 pounds 1 ounce

Hair: Brown and curly

Eyes: Green


	7. You Have It Easy

Pregnancy was not easy for Joan. You would think that considering who's baby she was carrying it would be a breeze but it wasn't.

"Ugh," Joan said, "Was it like this for Her Brother's mother"  
Joan had for some reason been referring to the baby as Her for some reason.

"Actually," Cute Boy said, "For His mother it was worse"

"What?"

"Think about it," Cute Boy said, "You know we have all those things now we didn't have back then. There are so many comforts that they didn't have back then. Imagine going through labor with no doctors around. Imagine not having diapers for your child. Then times that by 10 and you might have an idea of what she went through. There were no toilets back than. She had to make her business in a hole and bathe in the river. You don't have that problem."

"Okay," Joan said, "I think you have a point there. By the way is the baby going to be a boy or a girl"

"It is"

"Why can't you answer me," Joan asked,

"Because you'll know soon enough," Cute Boy replied


	8. First Sonogram

Joan was excited. Today she was getting her first sonogram. She was going to get to see her baby for the first time. The doctor rubbed some warm gel on her belly. She had a bump now. It was obvious that she was pregnant. She was about 4 and 1/2 months along. She could already feel Her kicking and moving around inside of her.

"Joan," the doctor said, "Take a look. This is your baby."

Joan looked up in aw. She couldn't believe that she was seeing her baby's beautiful face.

"Oh my GOD how beautiful," she whispered tears pouring from her eyes


	9. Being A Parent

The thing Joan realized was that now the baby was real. Oh She was real before. She was growing inside of Her mother. There was no question about that. Joan loved Her. There was also no question about that either. But until recently Joan hadn't realized that the baby was REAL. She would start to kick soon. In just a matter of months Her gender would become clear. Right now Joan thought of the baby as She because He was a He and she figured that if He was a boy then She was sure to be a girl. But Joan was actually really worried at the moment as well

Parenting was not an easy feat. It was nights worrying over her child when She had fevers. It was discipline. It was protecting and eventually it was the hardest thing of all. It was letting go. That was something she didn't want to do with everything in her. She didn't want to let go of her baby. She didn't want to the mother watching life ebb out of her child. She wanted the best in her Son or Daughter's life. She loved this baby. She knew that she was going to mess up but she would do her best.


	10. Losing Adam

School was hard for Joan. Being that she was pregnant she was often looked at as being a whore even though she wasn't. Adam came back to school after being out sick for 3 months. He was annoyed that Joan hadn't visited him in the hospital. She was his girlfriend after all. When he saw her stomach he roughly grabbed her wrists and pulled her aside.

"Who were you banging," he demanded.

"Nobody," Joan said.

"Oh come on," Adam demanded, "I would know if we had sex and we didn't"

"I didn't bang anyone," Joan replied.

"Well were you raped," Adam asked; his tone changing.  
Joan shook her head.

"This is unusual circumstances"  
She told him the story. Adam looked at her wide-eyed.

"WHAT! You're telling me that your child is the Son or Daughter of Him!"

"Yes," Joan said, "I know you don't believe it but-"

"I do believe it," Adam said, "But the problem is I can't be with you anymore"

"WHAT! WHY NOT," Joan asked.

"Jane you're ten times better then I am," Adam said, "I wouldn't be the right father for this baby and I'm not a proper boyfriend for you. I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends"

"You okay Joan?"  
It was cute boy. She cried.

"Adam broke up with me," she said crying.

"He'll come around," Cute boy promised, "He's just scared right now."

"He says he's not good enough for me and that he wouldn't be the right father for my baby."

"Well He or She is My child," Cute Boy pointed out.

"I know,' Joan said sobbing, "But Adam is an important part of my life and I lost him."

"He'll come around," Cute Boy repeated, "He's dealing with a lot now Joan."

"HE'S dealing with a lot? I'M dealing with a lot more!"

"Yes you are," Cute Boy said, "But you have me and Adam does not have the same the same relationship with me. He resents me"

"Why does he resent you?"

"He thinks if it weren't for me his mother would still be alive. He has several ideas that are not right."

"Can't you tell him that he's wrong," Joan asked.

"He'll know soon," Cute Boy promised

"Soon as in before it is too late," Joan asked practically begging.

"Yes," Cute Boy said, "It's like when you went through a tough time. It gets better. It really does."

"So what happens when someone like Adam is... so to speak in the wrong place"

"He has a friend like you to lead him right," Cute Boy said


	11. Trying to be supportive

"STOP," Grace snapped, "YOU'RE GOING TO GET ATTACHED TO THE BABY"

"What do you mean GOING TO," Joan snapped, "I already am attached to her"

"BIG MISTAKE," Grace said, "Parenting is just one part of your life and you shouldn't let that thing take up your WHOLE life"

"Grace I can't even talk about this with you now"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT," Grace yelled, "I'm trying to be supportive"

She stormed away.


	12. I Don't Think Right

For the life of her Joan couldn't understand what had upset Grace like that. She pretty much became a nutcase.

"Look," Grace said later, "We're different. You don't understand. I can't get attached because it just hurts later. I know I'm never going to be able to think the right way so there's no point in getting attached cause all I'll do is lose."

"Okay that is so not true," Joan said.

"I don't think the right way," Grace retorted


End file.
